Signal device



March 11, 1958 'YUKLCHI NVATA SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Au 16. 1954 0 5 M 3 2 n wv m 4; M F

LA w u United States Patent SIGNAL DEVICE Yukichi Iwata, Tokyo, Japan Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. 450,000 2 Claims. (Cl. 10237.8)

The present invention relates to signaling devices and more particularly to a tubular signal device of the pistol type for railways, trains, electric cars and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a pistol shaped signal device of a simple construction which is safe and easy to handle and has speedy and exact mode of operation.

Another object of this invention is to obtain a signal device in which an ignition agent is reliably ignited by merely manipulating a trigger or similar means, whereby an inflammable powder or inflammable agent is ignited.

Further, it is an object of the invention generally to improve on signaling devices as now customarily built.

The present invention provides a signal device, which has been improved to overcome various defects involved in known types of signal devices, in which an ignition device is secured to the inside or outside portion of the upper end of a cylindrical body containing inflammable powder. A gripping portion is provided having a trigger at the lower portion thereof; and an operating rod, which is moved mechanically by the squeezing manually, is arranged therein and extends through a cylindrical body longitudinally at the center, near the center or outside portion there-of. The ignition device or the whole of the ignition and operational devices are enclosed tightly in a water-proof, cylindrical covering body, wherein the ignition device may be caused to operate mechanically by the moving of the trigger and thereby the inflammable powder can be made to burn. The ignition may be performed electrically.

According to the present invention, when an accident suddenly occurs, for example, on a railroad, a smoke signal can be ejected readily by simply squeezing the trigger of the device at the scene of the accident, so that the following train may be promptly stopped whereby the protection of traffic as well as of the railroad itself is readily obtained. In such a case of emergency, the issuance of a danger signal is preferably without delay, and signal failure must absolutely be avoided independently of weather conditions.

In addition to being a reliable device, the signal device of the present invention may be utilized extremely effectively as a signal lantern in the dark or for various other purposes.

The signal device of the simple construction and is not only safe and easy to handle and operate, but also dispenses with the need for the removal of a cap-cover portion as is required in known signal devices.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, the following description is given with ref erence to the accompanying drawing.

Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing represent embodiments of a tubular signal device in which the controlling bar of the controlling device extends longitudinally through the central hollow portion of a cylindrical body. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment; Fig. 2 is a front view of a modification wherein a rotatable inner tubular body envelopes the cylindrical body of present invention has a of the trigger "ice the signal device at the lower end portion thereof, a part of the device being broken away; Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bottom of the cylindrical tubular body shown in Fig. 2.

The cylindrical tube illustrated in Fig. 1 is a type of device wherein ignition is caused by rubbing materials such as, for example, a match stick head and ignition agent, against each other.

The material in the match head used herein may be composed of, for instance, S or Sb S including a little potassium chlorate as an oxidizing agent, powdered glass to increase the friction and some glue to hold the mass together, and the abrasive agent may consist mainly of red phosphorus, Sb S powdered glass to increase the friction and some glue.

On ignition, the red phosphorus is ignited with the aid of the potassium chlorate when the material in the head is struck upon the piece coated with the abrasive agent, whereby the combustible agent is ignited by means of the oxidizing agent.

In the drawings, 1 is a cylindrical body or housing containing the inflammable powder 2 in a storage chamber, the upper portion of the housing being hermetically sealed with a closing disc 3, and an ignition chamber 4 being provided inside of the upper portion of said cylindrical body. A supporting shaft 6 is vertically provided in a small inner tube 5 extending longitudinally through the central portion of a cylindrical portion or chamber B of the lower portion of the said chamber A} containing the inflammable agent 2. The lower end portion of the supporting shaft 6 is loosely passed through the bottom plate 7 of a powder accommodating chamber, whereas a holder 9 holding the match stick head 8 is secured to the upper end portion of said shaft 6. inside of the ignition chamber 4, a cylindrical coil spring 10 is attached at one end to the upper end face of the powder accommodating chamber B around the aforementioned supporting shaft 6 and a small cylindrical coil spring 11 is disposed above the upper part of said spring 10. A piece 12 coated with the abrasive agent is secured on the inner surface of said spring 11, and an ignition device A is composed of said piece 12 with the abrasive agent and the aforementioned holder 9 carrying the match stick head 3.

A gripping portion 13 is engaged at the bottom end portion of the cylindrical body 1', and, in a recess or cavity 14, a trigger 15 is provided for free movement on a pivot 16; the lower end portion of a controlling rod 17 longitudinally provided outside of the aforementioned inner tube 5 is connected with the trigger 15 at the middle position 13 thereof, and the upper end portion of the controlling rod 17 is connected with the fore-end portion of a swing piece or lever 20, which in turn is tightly connected to the upper end of the aforementioned shaft 6 so as to enable movement about a pivot 19. 21 is a trigger which is pivoted to the front end portion of the trigger 15 in such a manner that it may rise and fall freely about an axial center 39, so that it may be moved inwardly when it is out of action so as not to obstruct the manipulation of the device. When the trigger body 15 is swung downwardly by squeezing trigger 21, the controlling rod 17 is caused to descend and at the same time lever 20 is swung down about its pivot 19 together with the holder 9 and the shaft 6. When the trigger 21 is released, the holder 9 will be driven upward, and ignition is caused by friction between the material 8 in which the match stick head on said holder 9 and abrasive agent of the abrasive agent holder 12. By this ignition, the fuze or fire-cord 22 is kindled and thereby the inflammable powder ignites to burn the closed disc 3 so that the desired signal is obtained. Hence, in this embodiment of the invention, the desired ignition may be effected to in make the ignition signal actuation of the trigger gency. 29 is a spike the railway when the used.

in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the upper-end opening of the cylindrical body 1 accommodating inflammable powder 2 is hermetically closed with a closing disc 3 such as shown in Pig. 1, and abrasive agent carrier I12 is attached on the top inner circumferential portion of a small inner tube 5 extending longitudinally through the inflammable powder accommodating chamber 13. The holder 9 of the material of the head of the match stick is secured to the controlling rod 17 disposed longitudinally within the inner tube 5 in the vicinity of the upper end thereof and opposite to said abrasive agent holder 12. An ignition chamber A communicates with the abrasive-agent carrier 12 and the holder 9. In the closed chamber 7d at the lower end of the cylindrical body 1, the trigger body 24 loaded with a coil spring 23 is so provided that it may pivot on an axial center 25. Further, the central projected portion 26 of said trigger body 24 is connected with the bottom end portion of said controlling rod 6 which is guided by said inner tube 5. A window 27 is formed through the side portion of the sealed chamber 75 located at the lower end of the cylindrical body, to which window is pasted a sheet 28 of water proof paper or other water proof material. Thus, the outside and inside of the chamber are sealed in a water tight manner to prevent the penetration of moisture. A cover tube 30 is rotatably fitted outside of the lower sealed chamber 75 .of the cylindrical body I, and a window 31 is formed through the cover tube 30 in a position corresponding to the window 27 of the aforementioned sealed chamber so that the windows are in register with each other. Similarly, said window 31 is provided with a sheet of water proof paper 32 pasted thereon or with another suitable water proof material. Whenever needed, the two windows are placed opposite each other, and thereafter as both water proof papers are broken with the finger tip, the trigger 33 of the trigger body 2 3 in the sealed chamber 75 may be pulled freely. if this trigger 33 is pulled and then released, the match head composition 8 applied to the holder 9 secured to the controlling rod 6 will be rubbed against the abrasive agent on the abrasive agent holder 12, and ignition will be caused due to the friction, and

upon the occurrence of an emerto be struck into the sleeper of signal of the present invention is with speed and reliability by the iii thus the inflammable powder 2 will ignite so that the desired signal is obtained as in the embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the present invention, as described above, the ignition is eifected by merely operating a trigger so that the desired signals may be sent very easily, speedily and reliably. With the described construction, a desired firing may be eifected rapidly and exactly, even under poor conditions. As a result, a device according to this invention is an extremely effective means for preventing accidents.

What i claim:

1. A signalling device comprising in combination: a tubular waterproof housing having a combustible end portion, said housing defining an ignition chamber at least partly enclosed by said combustible end portion, a storage chamber accommodating inflammable powder and a passage extending through said storage chamber and communicating with said ignition chamber, a hollow grip member having an opening, a sleeve rotatably surrounding said grip member, said sleeve having an opening, a manually operable trigger member pivotally arranged within said hollow grip member, spring means bearing against said trigger member, a rod member secured to said trigger member and extending through said passage, said rod member having a portion comprising ignitible material, and a member having an abrasive surface mounted on the wall of said passage near said ignition chamher, said trigger member being capable of tensioning said spring means and releasing said spring means thereby causing said portion of said rod comprising ignitible material to rub against said abrasive surface.

2. In a signaling device as claimed in claim 1, cover means for closing said opening of said grip member and said opening of said sleeve, said means being capable of being broken prior to actuating said manually operable trigger member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

